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Habitat:
The Cabbage Tree is a native of New Zealand, where it
was grown in a variety of habitats. It is the symbol for the city of
Christchurch on the Southern Island of New Zealand, where the tree grew
in the often misty swamplands, which covered the area where the settlers
established Christchurch. The Christchurch library website says: "Imagine a distant past where the mist and fog shrouded flatlands,
that spread out towards the sea, were rich with bird and water life. There
were few landmarks emerging from the mists of what was then
essentially swampland. If the hills were obscured by weather there was no
way of knowing where you were. That is, if it were not for the Ti Kouka
(cabbage trees) that were carefully planted in significant places to mark
out routes across the land like green spiky beacons."
An established Cabbage Tree is frost hardy up to -10 Celsius and that is
why the Tree has been grown in many British seaside places to lend an
exotic touch to the landscape, alluding to warmer climates than our own. It seems to thrive even in Northern
Island and up the west-coast of Scotland. These days the Cabbage Tree is sold
in quantity in garden centres all over the country and it is no longer
confined to seaside resorts, private collections and parks, but may be
found in gardens all over Britain. It is also popular as a tub-tree
on patios.
 Characteristics:
The tree starts off as a clump of arching, evergreen
sword-like leaves, which has often been likened to a 'fountain'. New
leaves grow continually from the centre, taking the tree upwards and the
older leaves at the bottom die back and hang down from the emerging
trunk, which grows taller with each season. It is a quite fast growing
tree and most plants, bought in garden centres as a mere clump of leaves,
will make an exotic looking 'Palm tree' in only a few years.
The long narrow leaves are typically 50 to 100 cm long and 4 - 9 cm
wide. The smaller trees often have only one growing point, but when the
tree branches there will be a great dense tuft of leaves at the end of
every branch.
After a few years the tree starts flowering in June-July, it bears huge
panicles (several feet long) of small fragrant creamy-white flowers. The
flowers are followed in time by bluish-white berries.
The tree is said to be able to grow as high as 15 to 20 metres, though
the trees I have seen in this country are (still ?) much smaller.
There are many different cultivars of the Cabbage Tree with all sorts of
different colour shades of leaves from yellow- and red-veined, to deep red.
The most common ones for sale in this country are a purplish-red and a
pink stripe variety. The popularity of the tree as a garden feature,
which does not create too much heavy shade, also means that new
varieties for every position and colour scheme are being bred to add to
the range
Cultivation:
Like many fast-growing trees, the Cabbage tree is a greedy feeder. It is
said to like fertile, humus rich soils, although my own trees seem to make do
fine with quite a poor soil after I planted them in a hole with plenty of
compost to give them a good start.
They are easy to raise from seed: sow in the Spring and protect the young plants
from frosts until well established. I have also heard that the tree can be grown from
cuttings, but have never tried this myself Has anyone out there got any more
information?
The Maori's used the tree as a food crop by cutting or 'coppicing' the new
shoots on the tree, like a sort of perennial cabbage. If you
want to be sure of growing a tree with multiple stems (which can look very
handsome), you can do the same and try pinching out the middle leaves to obtain
multiple growth points.
The cultivars with coloured leaves are usually not as hardy as the green leaved
original and will need extra protection in cold weather. In general it makes
good sense not to remove the lower dead leaves from the trunk, as these provide
a little bit of protection in severe conditions. The bundles of living leaves
can be gently tied together to provide some insulation for the sensitive growing
point in their middle.
Uses:
The centres of the new shoots were
eaten as a green vegetable by the Maori People of New
Zealand. They were a valuable food, especially in areas
like the swamplands of South Island, where it is hard to cultivate
crops and all the more so because the plants will regenerate
themselves after being harvested. The shoots contain carbohydrates
(see report from the New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural
Science below, as well protein)
The Maori have also used the tree for medicinal purposes:
externally as a wound healing herb for cuts and sores, and
internally for settling the alimentary tract in complaints such as
dysentery and stomach pains.
It is also known that Cabbage trees provided a " favoured fibre for
fishing due to superior strength". It would be interesting to know
exactly how the tree was used for this purpose. Again, please let
me know if you have any information on this.
The use of the tree as important navigational marks in a swampy
and often misty area have already been mentioned.
In Polynesia
members of the Cordyline genus were used to make hula
skirts. The leaves of the tree have been used, wherever
they grow, to line baskets. In modern gardening, where so many
wire hanging baskets are used, they can be used very effectively
for this purpose.
Cabbage
Tree trials for fructose production:
"A trial exploring the potential of the New Zealand
species Cordyline australis (ti kouka) as a modern-day annual crop for
fructose production was conducted. Plants of four wild provenances were grown at
densities of 2 500, 10 000, and 40 000 plants/ha for 1 year after transplanting.
Maximum fructose yields for the provenances evaluated were estimated to be 4
t/ha at densities of 80 000 plants/ha. There is scope to improve yield and
harvest index by selection of variation present in wild populations. The
traditional Maori practise of coppicing C. australis as a perennial stem
crop may be a better option than growing the species as an annual crop.
Consideration of fructose syrup taste, byproducts, regional and ethnic
associations, and speciality market options suggest that cropping of C.
australis warrants further investigation." (By: Jay D Mann & Assoc.,
New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, 1994,
Vol. 22:
439-451)
The land and
connectedness:
Like most tree species everywhere in the world, the Cabbage
Tree was part of a landscape, which illustrates important
spiritual lessons to the people. The Christchurch library website
gives a good example:"
"The site of the ancient Waitaha pa,
Puari
on the banks of Otakaro
(Avon River) is home to a very old stand of cabbage trees that cluster
together in an enduring circle. These trees are the mokopuna (grandchildren)
of a great ti kouka who grew in their place before them. These mokopuna
today mark out the circumference of the ancient tree from which they sprung.
They are a living memorial to their ancestor.
The growth pattern of the ti kouka mirrors the concept of
whakapapa and the connectedness of tribal and local history. Our ancestors
are closer to us than we may think. The land around us is imbued with their
histories. While we cannot go back, we can learn from those who were here
before us. Our present is formed out of our past. In turn, our future is
born of our present.
A greater understanding of the important places of our past
will nurture us and our futures."
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